ABSTRACT The main aim of the paper was to examine the association between children’s performance in four motor competence tasks and three physical fitness tasks and their perceived competence regarding performance in each task. A total of 52 five-year-old children participated in the study (25 girls and 27 boys). The mean chronological age was 5.08 yrs (SD .279). The main findings indicated a significant difference between the genders, as girls had a significantly better score in placing bricks and higher perceived competence than boys in 4 out of 7 tasks. Moreover, gender differences emerged in the association between the actual task performance and their self- evaluation. When the data was analyzed separately, only one correlation was significant for the girls. Although they showed two medium, three small, and two trivial correlations, these findings overall indicate relatively weak associations between girls’ objective task scores and perceived competence. For the boys, two correlations were statistically significant, and the overall pattern of results closely resembled that observed for the total sample. Boys demonstrated one large, three medium, two small, and one trivial correlation. Overall, these findings provide evidence of gender differences in perceived competence.

ABSTRACT There have been numerous theoretical recommendations for the use of age-appropriate pedagogical tools for young learners (YLs) such as storytelling. However, a practical challenge remains in understanding how novice teachers translate these recommendations into concrete scaffolding strategies in actual classrooms and how effective they are in engaging children with English. Grounded in sociocultural theory, this study aimed to identify the scaffolding strategies within storytelling used by pre-service EFL teachers and examine how these strategies engage young EFL learners with the language. Data were collected through video-recorded classroom observations, children’s art books, and semi-structured interviews. A total of eight pre-service teacher storytellers, 62 seven-year-old EFL learners, and two class teachers participated in the study. The findings revealed that storytellers used several strategies, including voice modulation, expressive body language, display questions, and repetition, which were instrumental in scaffolding comprehension and engaging learners. YLs mostly engaged with English through translating, answering, or guessing the meaning in L1. Interestingly, YLs showed a high degree of contentment with story classes despite relatively low comprehension levels. The study offers practical insights for teacher education and curricula, demonstrating how interactional learning environments are created through novice teachers’ concrete scaffolding strategies and the YL’s responsive engagement during storytelling.

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to examine pre-school principals’ perceptions of inclusive practices and the barriers to inclusion for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Drawing on interviews with 21 pre-school principals in a Swedish metropolitan area with high cultural and linguistic diversity, this study employs Nancy Fraser’s three-dimensional social justice framework to analyse how exclusion operates through failures of redistribution, recognition, and representation. The findings indicate that while principals perceive inclusion as embedded in transformative practices within the pre-school context, they identify various exclusion mechanisms beyond ECEC’s institutional role to address. These barriers operate through precarious economic and housing conditions, digital infrastructure and linguistic constraints, coordination gaps and sustained spatial segregation. The study contributes to understanding exclusion in ECEC and highlights that achieving inclusion requires multi-level policy coordination and systemic transformation rather than pre-school-level interventions alone.

ABSTRACT This study developed and tested a 7-day Accelerated Parenting Skills Developmental Support Program (APSDSP) tailored to the needs of mothers with infants aged 6–24 months severely affected by the February 2023 earthquake in Türkiye. The action research was conducted in two phases. In phase one, we interviewed 30 mothers to identify needs and revise program modules. In phase two, 16 volunteer mothers participated in the APSDSP. The program consisted of seven daily modules (90–100 min each). We collected quantitative data using pre- and post-tests, and qualitative data through feedback interviews after each session. Mothers reported needs for support in parenting roles, secure attachment, emotional socialization, and first aid. After participation, mothers showed significantly reduced stress (p = .043) and stronger attachment (p = .009). They also reported improvements in sensitivity, protection, discipline, play, teaching, self-sacrifice, and developmental knowledge. A significant reduction in maternal stress levels was observed following the APSDSP intervention. Parenting support should be delivered consistently after disasters. Programs like APSDSP must be regularly updated, integrated with professional child development and stress-management support, and embedded within strengthened social support networks for families.

ABSTRACT Circle time (CT) is often framed as fostering involvement and voice in inclusive learning environments; however, its widespread implementation often lacks a holistic understanding, leading preservice teachers to rely on improvisation that undermines its potential. Thus, this study investigates how preservice early childhood teachers conceptualize and enact CT through a single instrumental case study using interviews, observations, and document analysis for triangulation. In collaboration with an architect, visual classroom representations were developed to examine how spatial configurations reflected teacher positioning. This research contributes to inclusive pedagogy by revealing that CT is not only a pedagogical routine but also a professional learning space, positioning teachers as learners in horizontal power dynamics, idealizing CT as an inclusive practice. However, conceptual ambiguity, administrative norms prioritizing control and order, intern status within established hierarchies, and physical arrangements that recentralized authority, frequently led to inconsistencies in implementations and idealizations. Thus, practices were generally based on imitation, restricting the quality CT implementations. Current study emphasizes the need for purposeful preparation, reflective mentoring, and support to maintain inclusive practices by framing CT as both a professional identity-forming context and a locus where tensions between inclusion and control are evident.

ABSTRACT There is a growing interest in nature play within early childhood education and care. However, understanding how teachers in nature-based kindergartens manage the relationship between participating in and stepping back from this type of play remains limited. Drawing on nature’s affordances and a sociocultural perspective on play, this study aims to gather teachers’ insights into the significance of nature play and their practices for supporting children’s play. Five teachers from nature kindergartens in Norway were interviewed, using a vignette as a catalyst for reflection. Analysed thematically and addressing three research questions, the findings reveal that: (1) The natural environment influences teachers’ facilitation of play by nurturing a sense of calm and playfulness. (2) Teachers evaluate the connection between their role and that of nature in accordance with effortless engagement and deeper connections, and (3) they support play by being an approachable, safe, and confident adult. The study suggests that teachers’ participation in and withdrawal from children’s nature play reflect a balancing act within active modes of engagement and proposes implications for educational researchers, ECEC teachers, and policymakers.

ABSTRACT Inclusion in early childhood promotes the development of all children, yet significant barriers remain in educational childcare settings, particularly when children require ongoing individualized support. Directors and educators implement a variety of strategies to support their participation and well-being, but too often, exclusion is considered. Nevertheless, because children can be included in a variety of settings, it is relevant to explore how settings of different sizes can accommodate children with high support needs. This study aimed to describe the inclusion of children with high support needs and to compare supportive practices across center – and home-based settings in Canada. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design, mainly quantitative, was used. An electronic survey, including 30 multiple-choice items and three open-ended comment boxes, was sent to directors of both types of educational childcare settings. Completed surveys (n = 133) were analyzed using descriptive analyses, Fisher’s exact test, and thematic analysis. Results show that many children with high support needs are enrolled, though more than two-thirds of participants reported having considered exclusion in the last three years. While children’s needs were similar across settings, several supportive practices differed significantly. Tailoring assistance and resources, considering the characteristics of each educational childcare service, could promote quality inclusion for all.

ABSTRACT Education for sustainability is widely recognised as central to building more equitable and sustainable futures. However, discrepancies remain in how confidently Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators understand and implement the social pillar of sustainability (Maidou, Plakitsi, and Polatoglou). This study draws on theories of education for sustainability that foreground social justice across the interconnected economic, social and environmental pillars (Santone). Comprehensive approaches require attention to the socio-cultural and socio-political dimensions shaping children's lives and communities (Venkataraman). Yet limited understanding of the social pillar can constrain educators' capacity to enact socially just pedagogies and address structural inequalities (Boldermo and Ødegaard). Focusing on the English ECEC context, where sustainability is increasingly referenced in policy, including the Department for Education's sustainability strategy and climate action planning, the study explores how educators conceptualise social sustainability and how these interpretations influence everyday pedagogical practice. Framed within a participative praxeological paradigm (Pascal and Bertram, 2012), data were collected through questionnaires and a follow-up focus group. Ethical approval was guided by the EECERA Ethical Code (2025) and the LIEY Ethical Handbook (2025). Findings reveal gaps in conceptual understanding and limited confidence in linking the three pillars, highlighting the need for stronger professional learning to support socially just, sustainability-informed ECEC practice.

ABSTRACT Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) is understood as a multidimensional construct that encompasses structural, processual, and environmental conditions that enable children’s wellbeing, learning, and participation. The present study examines how teachers in the Republic of Croatia (N1 = 200) and the Republic of Korea (N2 = 200) perceive the contribution of four environmental dimensions – spatial, material, social, and temporal – to ECEC quality. A questionnaire was developed for this research, demonstrating high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .95). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Mann – Whitney U test, following confirmation of non-normal distribution (Shapiro – Wilk test). Findings show that teachers in both countries view the environment as integral to ECEC quality. In the spatial dimension, Croatian teachers prioritised natural light and outdoor space, whereas Korean teachers emphasised ventilation, temperature regulation, and shade. Croatian responses highlighted diverse creative and sensory materials, while Korean teachers placed higher value on picture books and structured play resources. Within the social dimension, both groups identified the teacher – child relationship as the strongest indicator of quality. The temporal dimension revealed contrasting priorities: flexibility and self-organised play in Croatia versus structured routines and predictability in Korea. These results demonstrate culturally influenced interpretations of its key components.